India's first 5G innovation lab launched in IIT-Delhi

Communication Minister Manoj Sinha on Tuesday formally launched India's first 5G innovation lab at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi. 5G innovation lab established by Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson will be used for research purposes of 5G-based technologies, products and applications. 

The 5G innovation lab is an open platform and aims to help the industry and the academia to leverage the 5G technology to develop new 5G-based apps and business models. 

While inaugurating the lab, Sinha said that they made a budgetary support plan for such a 5G test Bedz. He added, "We need to that the entire eco-system starts working together to make 5G technology become functional in India within next 2-3 years."

He explained, "Budgetary support for setting up of such testbeds has already been carved out. These test Bedz will provide enabling environment for testing of technologies. This will facilitate in the development of the 5G ecosystem in the country." 

Director of IIT Delhi who was present at the ceremony said his students will be testing their applications and products in the lab to find the way the 5G technology responds to them. 

Prof V Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi, says "Anyone from across the country can use the facility by collaborating with the researchers of IIT Delhi and Ericsson. Many students of the institute are working on communication". He added, "Currently, there are about 100 startups, started by the students, are functional in the campus. Many of these are working in agri and health care areas and communication are going to be a backbone of these projects. Now, this facility will help the students in testing their applications and products on 5G".

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Broke Ekholm, President & CEO, Ericsson said, "India will be a front-runner in the adoption of 5G. 5G will be critical to making cost come down and cost manageable for all the data. 5g will be critical in decongesting the network".